Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-08-11
the IOWA VETERANS
Forward Resolutions 10 President
Cleveland and Gen, Black.


WASHINGTON, August. 4.-General
Rosecrans recently received from Mr.
Charles Whitehead, chairman of the
National Veteran association, Des
Molnes, Iowa, copies of a resolution
adopted by, the association, depre-
eating the utterance Of certain members
Of the Grand Army Of the Republic in
connection with the proposed visit OF
the President to;St Louis. when the
Grand Army yencampnent isin progress
there, commencing the Presidents
veto of the dependent pension bill and
condeming the efforts of those who
seek by the rebel flag episode to rekindle
the flames, sectional hate and conten-
ton as unmanly, unpatriotic and mer-
iting the contempt of all intelligent
men. The resolutions also compliment
Gen. Blacks administration of the PEN
sion Office Gen. Roseerans was re-
quested to deliver copies of these
resolution to both the President and
Gen. Black. Yesterday he called on
the President, and in presenting them
said: 2. 70 ss-lt' L.. Z Z
"MR. PREsrDENT.- the request Of
National Veterans Association of Des
Moines, Ia, in mass convention assem-
bled, on the 18th day of July ult.,
have the honor to present you this en-
crossed copy of resolutions then passed,
declaring the viewsof those veterans
respecting the attempts of certain Off
GERS and members of the Society of the
Grand Army of the Republic to prevent
the President Of the United States from
accepting the hospitalities rendered to
him by the City of st. Louis on the oc-
casion of the meeting of the National
Encampment to the Grand Army of
the Republic, which had voted to be-
come her guests. rAs Q member of that
society ii, affordsSme pleasure to per-
form this duty and to state my concur.
renee in the sentiments expressed in
those resolutions is in accord with the
views and feelings of the Vast majority
of the members of the Grand Army Of
the Republic as to the loyal respect due
the Chief Magistrate of the United
States and as to thesimproprietys of de-
nouncing him for doing what he be-
heves to be his official duty. / feel
equally assured that these sentiments
will command the assent of that much
larger body of ex Union soldiers not
belonging to the society of the Grand
Army of the Republic who are surviv-
ing members of the real Grand Army
of the Republic which, after having
saved the nations life, dissolved and
joined the great industrial body which
assures the wealth, the glory and the
prosperity of our country" rgo
President Cleveland, replying to Gen,
Rosecrans, said: "Without reading the
resolutions presented by you in such a
gratifying manner, have only to say
that, judging from the tenor Of your re-
marks, the action of the veterans men
toned is in the direction of ofacknowledg-
ing the duty which devolves upon them
as veterans, to emphasize the value of
their services in the field patriotic SER
vice at home, and to demonstrate the
same bravery shown in battle by a
courage no less conscious when called
upon to defend and maintain the free |
dom. and patriotism which in peace is |
the safety of American institutions.
Understanding this to be the purpose of
the resolutions, I am glad to receive
them at your hands," ".-s-a-sa7s,'.,as,.-..r,.~.-
Gen. Rosecrans also sent the following
note to Commissioner Black with cop
les of the resolutions:
"General-In compliance with the |
request contained in the accompanying |
letter from the chairman Of the COM
mittee of resolutions, it affords me great |
pleasure to present this engrossed copy |
Of the resolutions expressing the senti-
nient of the Democratic Veterans of the
National Veterans Association of Des
Moines, La, in mass con vention assem-
bled, July Is, 1887. These resolutions1
are replete with patriotisn1, good senseI
and a just denunciation of the disloyal-
ty to the country and treason to the
Grand Army of the Republic manifest
ficers and members of that organization
to raise for partisans purposes an out
cry against the chief magis-
trate of the nation and prevent him
from accepting the hospitalities ten
dered him by the city of st. Louis at
the same time that the national en-
campment of that order had accepted /
her invitation to a generous welcome.
No less gratifying are the declarations
characterizing as wholly incompatible /
with that loyalty which is one of the
three fundamentals of that society,
the attempting to use its voice In
accommodation of the President for the !
discharge of a painful duty ac-
cording to his judgement and
conscience. When 1t is remembered
that largely more than one-half the
rank and file of the Unionarmy, proba-
bly, of those enlisting for three months
service and certainly of those who came
in afterwards, were either Democratic
or merely Union men, it would be plain
ly seen why the Grand Army of the Re
public, as Republican machine, was a
miserable failure, while it, at a later
time, only revived while only non-par-
isanship was made fundamental, while
the hypocrisy of violating this principle
by taking small partisan advantages in
the choice of its officers of posts and
Communicates and the paying Of spec
ial public favors and honors to comrades
of the Republican persuasion has hlth-
erto created such distrust of its spirit
as to prevent the society from securing
double and possibly triple its present
and commanding univer-
sal respect for the self-controlling loyal
ty which covered with glory its mem
bers during the dark days of war for the
Union. The resolutions well say that
If this spirit of partisanship can not be
restrained it will be matter to be con-
sidered whether the Survivors of the
real Grand Army of the Republic would
not better have some other organiza-
ton. take pleasure in noting the JUS
tice ofthe commendation given in these
to the administration ofthe
- l. |